System and method for catalog image generation

1. A method comprising:

providing an application (app) for installation on first and second mobile devices enabling first and second customers to (a) shop by scanning an item or packaging for the item in a brick and mortar store using a camera of the first or second mobile devices, and (b) interact with a central computer system comprising a catalog system, a capture system, and a selecting system;

receiving, at the capture system, permission from the first and second customers via apps installed on the first and second mobile devices to (a) capture one or more first and second images or (b) upload the one or more first and second images;

determining, with the central computer system using one or more processors, whether an online catalog comprises an image of the item or the packaging for the item for sale listed in the online catalog; and

when the online catalog does not comprise the image of the item or the packaging for the item for sale listed in the online catalog:

while the first customer is using the first mobile device to scan a product identifier on or attached to the item or the packaging for the item in the brick and mortar store, using the camera of the first mobile device to capture the one or more first images of the item or the packaging for the item;

while the second customer is using the camera of the second mobile device to scan the product identifier on or attached to the item or the packaging for the item in the brick and mortar store, using the camera of the second mobile device to capture the one or more second images of the item or the packaging for the item;

receiving, at the capture system, from the first and second mobile devices the one or more first and second images;

selecting, with the selecting system, at least one of the one or more first and second images;

editing, with the selecting system, the at least one of the one or more first and second images, as selected;

uploading, with the catalog system, the at least one of the one or more first and second images, as edited, from the selecting system, to the online catalog for an online store; and

displaying, with the catalog system, the at least one of the one or more first and second images in the online catalog to a third customer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the second customer comprises at least one of:

the first customer; or

a different customer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images comprises editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images by photoshopping or graphics editing.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images comprises editing at least a portion of a second image of the one or more first or second images into the at least one of the one or more first and second images.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

capturing one or more third images of the item or the packaging of the item from a third mobile device of the third customer;

wherein:

editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images comprises:

editing at least a portion of one of the one or more third images into the at least one of the one or more first and second images.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

displaying the at least one of the one or more first and second images further comprises displaying a credit line for the at least one of the one or more first and second images, wherein the credit line gives attribution to the first and second customers that contributed to the at least one of the one or more first and second images.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

using the camera of the first mobile device to capture the one or more first images comprises capturing one or more still images from a video stream of the first mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the one or more still images are automatically captured approximately every 1 second from the video stream of the first mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prompting the third customer to verify that the at least one of the one or more first and second images, as edited, is accurate.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining when the online catalog comprises the image of the item or the packaging for the item comprises determining when the image comprises at least one of:

a front view of the item or the packaging for the item;

a back view of the item or the packaging for the item;

a side view of the item or the packaging for the item; or

a perspective view of the item or the packaging for the item.

11. A system comprising:

one or more processing modules; and

one or more non-transitory storage modules storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processing modules and perform acts of:

providing an application (app) for installation on first and second mobile devices enabling first and second customers to (a) shop by scanning an item or packaging for the item in a brick and mortar store using a camera of the first or second mobile devices, and (b) interact with a central computer system comprising a catalog system, a capture system, and a selecting system;

receiving permission from the first and second customers via apps installed on the first and second mobile devices to (a) capture one or more first and second images or (b) upload the one or more first and second images;

determining whether an online catalog comprises an image of the item or the packaging for the item for sale listed in the online catalog; and

when the online catalog does not comprise the image of the item or the packaging for the item for sale listed in the online catalog:

while the first customer is using the first mobile device to scan a product identifier on or attached to the item or the packaging for the item in the brick and mortar store, using the camera of the first mobile device to capture the one or more first images of the item or the packaging for the item;

while the second customer is using the camera of the second mobile device to scan the product identifier on or attached to the item or the packaging for the item in the brick and mortar store, using the camera of the second mobile device to capture the one or more second images of the item or the packaging for the item;

receiving from the first and second mobile devices the one or more first and second images;

selecting at least one of the one or more first and second images;

editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images, as selected;

uploading the at least one of the one or more first and second images, as edited, from the selecting system, to the online catalog for an online store; and

displaying an at least one of the one or more first and second images in the online catalog to a third customer.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein:

editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images comprises editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images by photoshopping or graphics editing.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images comprises editing at least a portion of a second image of the one or more first or second images into the at least one of the one or more first and second images.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

capturing one or more third images of the item or the packaging of the item from a third mobile device of the third customer;

wherein:

editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images comprises:

editing at least a portion of the one or more third images into the at least one of the one or more first and second images.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein:

using the camera of the first mobile device to capture the one or more first images comprises capturing one or more still images from a video stream of the first mobile device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:

the one or more still images are automatically captured approximately every 1 second from the video stream of the first mobile device.

17. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:

displaying the at least one of the one or more first and second images further comprises displaying a credit line for the at least one of the one or more first and second images, wherein the credit line gives attribution to the first and second customers that contributed to the at least one of the one or more first and second images.

18. At least one non-transitory memory storage module having computer instructions stored thereon executable by one or more processing modules to:

provide an application (app) for installation on first and second mobile devices enabling first and second customers to (a) shop by scanning an item or packaging for the item in a brick and mortar store using a camera of the first or second mobile devices, and (b) interact with a central computer system comprising a catalog system, a capture system, and a selecting system;

receive permission from the first and second customers via apps installed on the first and second mobile devices to (a) capture one or more first and second images or (b) upload the one or more first and second images;

determine whether an online catalog comprises an image of the item or the packaging for the item for sale listed in the online catalog; and

when the online catalog does not comprise the image of the item or the packaging for the item for sale listed in the online catalog:

while the first customer is using the first mobile device to scan a product identifier on or attached to the item or the packaging for the item in the brick and mortar store, using the camera of the first mobile device to capture the one or more first images of the item or the packaging for the item;

while the second customer is using the camera of the second mobile device to scan the product identifier on or attached to the item or the packaging for the item in the brick and mortar store, using the camera of the second mobile device to capture the one or more second images of the item or the packaging for the item;

receive from the first and second mobile devices the one or more first and second images;

select at least one of the one or more first and second images;

edit the at least one of the one or more first and second images, as selected;

upload the at least one of the one or more first and second images, as edited, from the selecting system, to an online catalog for an online store; and

display the at least one of the one or more first and second images in the online catalog to a third customer.

19. The at least one non-transitory memory storage module of claim 18 , wherein:

using the camera of the first mobile device to capture the one or more first images comprises capturing one or more still images from a video stream of the first mobile device; and

editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images comprises editing the at least one of the one or more first and second images by photoshopping or graphics editing.

20. The at least one non-transitory memory storage module of claim 18 , further comprises:

display the at least one of the one or more first and second images further comprises displaying a credit line for the at least one of the one or more first and second images, wherein the credit line gives attribution to the first and second customers that contributed to the at least one of the one or more first and second images.